Champions League 2011/12

[drekkard]

Brilliant match from Milan, fantastic defending and they could have won if there forwards would have been more prolific.

Maybe it was the pitch, but IMO this was perhaps the weakest performance of this current crop of Barcelona players. They dominated the first half but even then they were sloppy with lots of bad passes.

Well, I think Milan did a brilliant defensive game, but that's all. For once, I slightly disagree on the rest. I don't think it's the worst match from Barcelona at all. It wasn't at the level we're used to but in a terrible pitch and against one of the best teams in Europe we had at least 9 clear chances to score, while Milan shot only 4 during the 90 minutes, with only 3 clear chances. Not a single shot at goal by Milan in the 2nd half. I would say Barcelona was even better defensively!

Everybody expected Barcelona smashing Milan? Because honestly I didn't, it was going to be a tough game and personally I think Barcelona deserved better, even if offensively it wasn't that good.

I would have put Tello for Keita much sooner in the game, and let Iniesta play in the middle, where his passing really counts. When he goes to the sideline, he looses a lot of his vision.

It was the worst Messi match in months, that's the main difference between today and other matches. So, he's human after all!

And yes, Milan indeed defended very well, though at times it was the totally unnecessary passing of Barcelona that made it easier to defend. I'm with PLF here, I get angry at the couch when they can end the play with a shot but instead they try very intrincate passing. They indeed want to get to the goal line with the ball.

About that Nesta foul: that was never a red card. It was sort of cynical but a yellow was more than enough.

Here is where I disagree the most. This kind of tackles must be RED CARD always. It's a tackle from behind, on full pelt, without any aim of touching the ball (which is out of reach) and with the only intention to bring Messi down whatsoever, even if he injures him. And with the legs in a dangerous height.

If he had injured Messi now people would be asking for a hard ban for him. Luckily for Messi, he wasn't injured, but the tackle was terrible and dangerous. Usual Pepe stuff.

And this is EXACTLY what UEFA has considered to be a red all this years. This kind of tackle MUST be severely punished even if the defender is called Nesta and plays at home. Because, if you don't punish this, more people will bring down Messi like that and finally someone will injure him.

By the way, 5 minutes later two Milan defenders bring down Messi in a blatant sandwich in what was a penalty or a dangerous foul and nothing happens. The last 10 minutes were a bit of a "free-to-stop-them-as-you-want" time.

Still i think that Barcelona will easily beat this Milan team. I'm pretty sure they will have to score twice to win...because Milan will score at the Nou Camp.

I disagree again! I don't think Barcelona will easily beat Milan at all! It will be a tough match that can be decided again by the little details.

PS: By the way, Abbiati and Valdes were both superb!

 

[Milanista]

Totally agree with Ben here... don't think we played great. We had some great last-ditch tackles and blocks, but the fact we gave them so much space for those chances wasn't that great defending.

 

[cfdh_edmundo]

Ben, about the quality of the match, i agree with you.
This was not the best football, far from that.

But i enjoyed it because i saw it as a chess match and i watched it from Milan's point of view (although i prefer Barcelona's football), because in this match they were supposed to be the underdog. I think Milan did quite well defensively, but if i was a Milan fan i would be disappointed. Milan could have won this match. IMO they had the better chances.

Edit: Milan even succeded in frustrating Messi, which quite exceptional.

I agree, and it's important to remember that defending, and an organised defence, is a skill or a technique that is worthy of praise. It's easy to see that Barca's attack is generally worthy of praise and admiration, they do very good short passes and keep possession well, but also Milan's defence was very robust, it was impossible for one of the best attacking teams in the modern game to break them down and create many meaningful chances. To build this sort of defence is difficult, it's probably harder to build a great defence than a great attack, since a defence cannot be based on 1-2 players individual brilliance. You need to have superb organisation, the whole back 4 (or 5) need to move as a unit to exercise offside traps, keep all attackers marked, close down shooting players and provide outlets for defenders in possession in their own half.

A chess match is a very good comparison, and while it's nice to see attacking displays and lots of goals (like say Napoli vs Chelsea in Naples), it's also admirable to also, on occasion, see a team showing great defensive organisation and out-thinking or out-manuevering a big attacking threat. Young players and future coaches could look at Milan's display last night and see a blueprint of how to organise a team to stifle, or tactically suffocate, a opponent of great attacking ability. In fact I would say that Milan have further demonstrated that Barca's attack can be nullified over say a single game, with the right players and right system and organisation.

It still remains a very difficult tie for Milan to win, but they now know that so long as they get a draw* or better in Spain they will go through.

* or worst case scenario at 0-0 in Spain they'll go to penalties.

 

[lo zio]

Here is where I disagree the most. This kind of tackles must be RED CARD always. It's a tackle from behind, on full pelt, without any aim of touching the ball (which is out of reach) and with the only intention to bring Messi down whatsoever, even if he injures him. And with the legs in a dangerous height.

If he had injured Messi now people would be asking for a hard ban for him. Luckily for Messi, he wasn't injured, but the tackle was terrible and dangerous. Usual Pepe stuff.

absolutely not alexis. we both know what pepe (to be honest not just pepe, but most defenders out there) would do in such a situation. a scissor tackle from behind would be a much safer option for the cb (and much more dangerous for the ball carrier), because you're almost certain you're gonna stop the player "somehow".

nesta instead wen to great lenghts to avoid a dangerous tackle. and there is absolutely no way u can call that a dangerous foul. i mean look at it:
http://video.sky.it/sport/champions-league/milan_0_barcellona_0_ammonizione_per_nesta/v114466.vid
sure it's a spectacular foul, as messi is running at full throttle (hence the bad fall), but it's absolutely not a dangerous challenge.
nesta's leg is ahead messi's legs, not behind (and that's already enough to consider a red card absolutely perposterous).
nesta doesn't aim for messi's ankles, he doesn't try to stomp his feet, he actually manages to avoid a direct hit (his leg makes no impact whatsoever on messi's body. he simply puts his leg ahead of messi's body to put him off balance).

also it's unapprorpiate to say he didn't even try to reach the ball as it was far from his leg. messi was running at full speed while nesta was almost standing still, so that's an obvious consequence.

what most defenders do in such a situation is stamping their foot on the ball carrier's calf from behind. to say nesta deserved a red card for that makes no sense at all.
the only cleaner option nesta had was not to make a challenge at all. and most important, messi could have never got injured because of that foul.

By the way, 5 minutes later two Milan defenders bring down Messi in a blatant sandwich in what was a penalty or a dangerous foul and nothing happens.

now that was a bad (and potentially dangerous) foul. however i seem to recall it was outside the box, so no penalty material.
i do believe the abbiati-sanchez situation instead was penalty matieral.

 

[cfdh_edmundo]

Totally agree with Ben here... don't think we played great. We had some great last-ditch tackles and blocks, but the fact we gave them so much space for those chances wasn't that great defending.

I'm not sure there were that many significant chances for Barca.

You have the penalty incident but the ball was running away from Sanchis and out of play so I wouldn't class that as a massive chance (that's not to say it was or was not a penalty per se, but just I dont think Sanchis would have beaten Abbiati from this angle in normal play (i.e. Abbiati on his goalline) since the Chilean was already forced wide and hadnt really got full control of the ball.

There was another chance for Sanchis where he was running through on goal and two Milan defenders got slide tackles in, the first to block Sanchis's shot and the second defender slid to clear the loose ball (ahead of Messi I think), that was a significant chance since Sanchis was nearly 1-on-1 with the keeper.

Another chance was when Abbiati parried a shot out wide, nearly out for a corner, but it went towards Tejo (the Barca substitute) who looked like he might score from close range, but again two Milan defenders slid immediately to block the shot.

In my opinion most of Barca's possession was either out on the wings (with Daniel Alves trying to cross the ball) or central but 30-40 yards from goal, where yes there is a risk Xavi or Iniesta might curl a shot in, but generally it's the zone where you want to restrict their attackers to - it's better to have them as a threat there then have them as a threat in your penalty area.

 

[lo zio]

I agree, and it's important to remember that defending, and an organised defence, is a skill or a technique that is worthy of praise.

i'm italian man, you're preaching to the choir. but u see, good defending is admirable when it's about quality, not quantity.
in today's football teams attack with 4 men and defend with 6.

if u manage to neutralize your opponent's offensive attempts and at the same time try and play some football, then that's good defending.

but if u sit back in your own box, crowd your own half of the pitch with 8 men and only leave your midfield for an occasional counter-attacking raid (wich is inevitably deeemed to fail, because u only have your 2 strikers remaining on the other half of the pitch)..... well then that is not "good defending". that is just "a lot of defending"

a good defensive effort is a balanced defensive effort. otherwise it's just parking the bus in front of the box.

the milan -barça matchup in the group stage... now that was quality defending! (and also a much better match overall).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXUVVh-S4pI

 

[cfdh_edmundo]

The trouble is, in group stage there are not really away goals - they only count if the teams are tied after 6 games and then their two group games against each other are netting out as a draw.

The away goal in knockout European football can be a vital issue. Mentally if Milan had conceeded an away goal, say they had drawn 1-1 or 2-2, they would go to Spain having to win. They would have to attack Barca and in doing that could leave themselves very open to conceeding goals in Spain, effectivly ending the contest. I think the most important thing for Milan was not to conceed an away goal, and in the context of that I think playing 7-8 behind the ball was the correct thing to do. I agree that it wasn't perhaps a brave decision, but in the latter stages of European football, against such a strong team it was cautiously sensible.

 

[lo zio]

yep. the away goal rule is infact one of the many MANY things that i don't like about champions league.

I agree that it wasn't perhaps a brave decision, but in the latter stages of European football, against such a strong team it was cautiously sensible.

most definitely it was a sensible gameplan and a good call by allegri (infact i already stated i can't really blame him)....

...but it just goes to show how messed up this competition is.
i wrote a post in this very thread months ago, about how much i don't like champions league anymore, but (surprisingly) i got no reaction at all from anyone in here.
like i said back then, i guess i'm the only one who is fed up with CL

 

[we7god]

yep. the away goal rule is infact one of the many MANY things that i don't like about champions league.

I think the away goal rule is ok for 2 x 90 minutes.
for extra time it should be eliminated, because than it's not fair, because away team in 2nd leg has additional 30 minutes to use this advantage the opponent could not use in 1st leg.

 

[drekkard]

absolutely not alexis. we both know what pepe (to be honest not just pepe, but most defenders out there) would do in such a situation. a scissor tackle from behind would be a much safer option for the cb (and much more dangerous for the ball carrier), because you're almost certain you're gonna stop the player "somehow".

what most defenders do in such a situation is stamping their foot on the ball carrier's calf from behind. to say nesta deserved a red card for that makes no sense at all.
the only cleaner option nesta had was not to make a challenge at all. and most important, messi could have never got injured because of that foul.

Well, I see what you say but the way I see it, the tackle is from behind, on full pelt and without the slightest aim to touch the ball (his leg is at hip's height while the ball is on the floor). To me that's a red, there's no need to be an injury for it. And there's no need to be a dirty tackle to be a red card.

If he had done a scissor tackle from behind (what the likes of Pepe would have probably done), then it should be a red card AND a 3-4 match ban. That's what I would like in football, because you're rewarding defenders in this situations.

I agree , though, that Nesta is a class defender and I would never expect from him to do a Pepe scissor tackle from behind. But Messi could have been injured anyway. But take into consideration that Messi received very 3 hard fouls in the last 15 minutes and only costed an overall of 1 yellow card. In this situations, this is a big bonus to the defender side.

When I played football, I totally hated this kind of tackles. You have used your skill to beat a defender and they could simply grab you or put you down and end the play without having to resort to any kind of skill. I have always had an idea about it that would be PERFECT for this cases: show Nesta a yellow card AND put him out of the game for 5 minutes! Like in handball or hockey. That way, you properly penalize the defenders and they have to think twice about stopping the play!

...but it just goes to show how messed up this competition is.
i wrote a post in this very thread months ago, about how much i don't like champions league anymore, but (surprisingly) i got no reaction at all from anyone in here.
like i said back then, i guess i'm the only one who is fed up with CL

Well, I'm fed up of certain aspects of it as well, but there's a clash of interests between low-level teams, mid-level teams and top clubs. I don't see the way to serve all purposes right at the same time without affecting the domestic leagues a bit.

How do you see it, Ben? What would you do?

 

[Milanista]

Found this on a Milan blog and found it hilarious:

Ps. Antonini potrà raccontare di essere stato man of the match di una partita giocata da Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Ibra, Nesta e Seedorf. Da ieri Bonera potrà raccontare che una sera, per fermarlo, Messi gli ha fatto fallo da dietro.

"Antonini can one day tell people he was man of the match in a match that had Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Ibra, Nesta and Seedorf. From yesterday, Bonera can say that one night, Messi fouled him from behind to stop him."

 

[gerd]

About the CL. It's the pinnacle of a bad system (i.e. European professional football) so it is kind of the result of all the mistakes and unfair things that come with that system.

IMO it is a litle bit simplistic if you think that things will get better if one only make changes to the CL. There should be a sort of all-in approach: financial fair-play, a fair division of the television money (that is the most important thin IMO), a salary cap, some sort of draft regulation and lots of other things.

What i would is very radical: i would just end the Euro-Cups. European football should be one giant pyramid. At the top there should be a competition similar to the NBA: the big teams play each other across the continent. And every 3, 4 or 5 years clubs can promote and relegate. From a certain level down this would result in national competitions again and below that regional. So the bae of the pyramid would be exactly the same like things are now.

The top would be the clubs that are now playing the CL (but more than 32).
Just below that the clubs who are playing Euro League.
Two tiers below that competition should be international too, but maybe more regionally: i.e. Brittish clubs in one league, Dutch, Belgian and German clubs in another, Scandinavian and Russian clubs, Italian, Swiss and French clubs, Spanish and Portugese, etc...

The NBA-like top would end with an after competition that is similar to the play-offs in the NBA or the current CL (but without a group stage).

Is this ideal? Far from, i just thought it up on the spot..but IMO it should be something similar.

Sorry for the long post.

 

[Zeem]

All hail king Robinho! I am surprised how consistent he is at missing these chances. Good thing Pato might be ready for the away game.

I just don't get it. Was he trying to shoot it with the side of his foot? Impossible.

YouTube - Ac Milan vs Barcelona-Robinho Great Chance 0-0 HD 28.03.2012

As for the game, I'm delighted by the fact that we didn't concede. I wasn't expecting much from the game. I was hoping for a good fight and not conceding a lot in front of the home crowd. As a neutral, yeah it was a clash between big teams but a typical attacking vs defending team.

Barcelona played their game. Their ability to recover and control the ball is amazing. And Busquets is not as weak as he seems. He won some battles with Ibra and Ambrosini who are strong guys.

 

[matherto]

The Nesta tackle was the epitomy of what is wrong with the rules.

The commentators and indeed, everyone else will put it down to 'oh that's a cynical foul, he's used his experience there, he had to stop him like that or else they'd have scored, well played Nesta'.

The very fact that players can take that option knowing full well that it'll never be a red card is just silly to be honest.

For that very reason though, you can't be annoyed that he didn't get sent off, cause it never is a red card.

 

[Zeem]

Why would have Messi scored? Nesta was not the last defender.

 

[bebo]

Barcelona have launched a complaint to UEFA over the state of the pitch at the San Siro following their goalless UEFA Champions League encounter.


I think the pitch was much better , Arsenal played and the pitch was grey.

"I am a bit worried about the quality of the pitch," said Wenger. "It doesn't look exceptional. Hopefully tomorrow it will be better.

"It has been re-laid down the flanks very recently and you know what it is like when you have just laid a pitch like that.

"It takes time to settle and become flat. At the moment, it isn't."
“It is maybe an easy excuse, but I feel UEFA has a lot to answer for because if you arrive at 7.46pm you get fined, but you can play on a bad pitch and they don't say a word,” he added.

“I just feel it is part of the respect for people who pay their money and go to a football game and expect conditions where you can play football.

“That's what we try to do here and it is unacceptable for UEFA to accept pitches like the one in Milan.”

YouTube - Highlights Milan Arsenal 4-0 15/02/2012

 

[cfdh_edmundo]

The pitch wasn't great, but there are lots of factors responsible for this, not enough sunlight due to the steep sides, not great weather at this time of year (certainly Jan/Feb there are lots of frosts) in Northern Italy, two teams playing on it (one each weekend and pretty much one match each mid-week). I still don't think the pitch was that bad, and have seen significantly worse pitches (Wembley a few years ago, Stamford Bridge was like a beach 5-6 years ago, the Petrovsky wasnt great last month, CSKA play on a plastic pitch in the CL). Pitches are inspected by the ref before each match, and if the pitch hadn't been good enough and was dangerous the ref had the power to call the match off. In the last month or so Arsenal, Marseilles and Barca have played on the pitch, yet only one of those teams has made an official complaint to UEFA about it.

 

[matherto]

Surprised they don't try that pitch that has the artificial fibres in it, doesn't that take less time to bed in and is more resilient?

 

[Milanista]

The pitch wasn't great, but there are lots of factors responsible for this, not enough sunlight due to the steep sides, not great weather at this time of year (certainly Jan/Feb there are lots of frosts) in Northern Italy, two teams playing on it (one each weekend and pretty much one match each mid-week). I still don't think the pitch was that bad, and have seen significantly worse pitches (Wembley a few years ago, Stamford Bridge was like a beach 5-6 years ago, the Petrovsky wasnt great last month, CSKA play on a plastic pitch in the CL). Pitches are inspected by the ref before each match, and if the pitch hadn't been good enough and was dangerous the ref had the power to call the match off. In the last month or so Arsenal, Marseilles and Barca have played on the pitch, yet only one of those teams has made an official complaint to UEFA about it.

From Milan's site:

“In reference to the official protest presented to UEFA by FC Barcelona regarding the conditions of the San Siro pitch, AC Milan communicates that:

1) The watering of the field, to be done within one hour prior to the game as agreed in the organisational meeting yesterday morning and per the regulations of the UEFA Champions League in section 14.15, has not been carried out due to the conditions of high humidity on the field.

2) The general conditions of the field, on which FC Barcelona had trained on the night before [pictured above] without raising any questions, have been deemed suitable by both the referee and the delegate from UEFA during their site visit yesterday morning."

 

[beachryan]

I heard a great analogy with regards to Barcelona (and the official pitch complaint is the latest is a long line of behaviour):

They're like the richest, smartest, hottest girl at school that constantly asks her uglier, poorer friends to remind her how hot she is. And then gets all uppity if they don't respond with adulation.

 

[gerd]

That is a very silly thing to do from Barcelona. If this is true, then they lost a part of my sympathy.
Beside the fact that Barcelona play wonderfull football, i like Barcelona for something that had nothing to do with football. The fact that they had no shirt sponsor for a long time, the fact that they choose Unicef afterwards, the fact that they have lots of players from the youth system...

If this is true...sad...very sad.

 

[PLF]

Lot of great posts here. Been a pleasure to read. Here are my 2 cents on a couple matters.

1. The Nesta tackle - It's not a red card and in my opinion it shouldn't be. It's cynical, yes and that's why it's a no brainer Yellow but it's NOT dangerous and I don't think it could've injured Messi and he wasn't even the last man.

Had he been the last man or if it was a reckless scissor tackle from BEHIND on Messi's ankles which could've put him out for a year, THAT's what we need to give red-cards too. Not challenges like this. I'm with Ben on these 2 points.

But he damn well deserved a yellow and he KNEW it just like every one else that he WOULD get one, and he did. So all is fair and I've no problem with that. Basically as a defender, a lot of times, you need to take one for the team and on many occasions, he stopped Messi and co with great tackles, interceptions, anticipation and blocks, but here and there The world's greatest player who's way sharper and more agile and much younger WILL get past you and you basically have NO CHOICE but to do what we call a Professional or Tactical foul. He had to do the same on ONE occasion against Messi in the group stage match in the vid Ben posted as well.

For me, it's fine. If we're giving challenges like this a red card, what are we doing with last man challenges then? A black card? And what about Pepe like dangerous tackles that are only MEANT to HURT the opponent. Nesta didn't want to hurt Messi and didn't really. He knew he had to stop him illegally though and so he DECIDED to foul him and take a yellow for the team.

I do disagree with Ben and agree with Alexis on the fact that Nesta had NO CHANCE of getting the ball there though. That can't be used as an argument. He knew damn well, he's beat and basically DECIDED, Alright I'm gonna have to do a tactical foul and get a yellow. He was never gonna get his foot on the ball (hell his feet were up around Messi' hip and the ball way forward on the ground)

Nonetheless, it's NOT a red-card, never been and for me shouldn't be.


2. I agree with what Edmundo was saying about it taking great discipline and defensive organization and how they should be praised for that. Also his point about away goal and it being so different from group stages is spot on.

Now I see what Ben is saying about how good defending is done with 6 men and not 8 and that's a very valid point.

BUT, facts and results speak for themselves. Tell me, when was the last time and how OFTEN have Barcelona been held from scoring in the last 3 years? I'm curious. How many matches has Barcelona (The world's greatest team) and their super players who basically look like they're in training and create chances for fun even against elite competition, have been kept at bay and off the score sheet?!

Not often at all. VERY few times by VERY few teams. So yes, great defending isn't done with 8-men and Milan could've been more positive (having said that they actually had 2 great chances to win the match regardless through good counterattacks), BUT the bottom line is, they got the job done and Abiatti kept a clean sheet which whatever way you look at it is an ACHIEVEMENT! Because many teams in the past have tried to defend against this Barca team with forget 8 players, but with 11 players and they still failed miserably one after another.

So from a defensive point of view, they do deserve praise, they were very disciplined, Ambrosini and Seedorf and Nesta were great leaders at the back. Abiatti made some great rushes forward to close down angles. Individuals like Bonera and Antonini made themselves proud and overall it WAS a good defensive performance.

And again like Edmundo said, how often do you see Messi lose his cool and react furiously like he did on a couple occasions last night? Not often. Fact is, Milan DID frustrate Messi and Barcelona and 99% of teams and players TRY to do that but FAIL.

the milan -barça matchup in the group stage... now that was quality defending! (and also a much better match overall).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXUVVh-S4pI

I LOVE videos like this!

Would love to see one made for Antonini from last night with those 2 goal-saving sliding tackles! F'n beautiful!

I still miss Nesta from Lazio days though. For me he's been a great servant for Milan over the years and one of the world's best but because of injuries and nowadays even age, he's not obviously as good as he used to be. For me, he was at his BEST in Lazio days (last couple years before joining Milan). He's one of the best I've ever seen!

 

[beachryan]

If you enjoyed that performance, I'm still shocked how good United were at defending over the 2 legs against Barca in 2008/09 - particularly in the second leg at Old Trafford. Barca weren't quite at the height of their powers then, but were the best team in the world and United managed to stop them scoring when they had to. If I chewed my nails I'd of been down to my knuckles!

But a bank of 4 and a bank of 5 were regimented and stood to their tasks superbly. Wes Brown in particular was excellent. Barca didn't actually create many chances at all, despite an obscene amount of possession.

 

[bebo]

Arsenal beat Barca 2-1 2011(SOT 8 vs 7 ) 2-2 2010(SOT 2 vs 14 ) and if you don`t attack you won`t win Barca couldn`t beat Arsenal away ,but they could do the business on their grounds. That`s why I said 0-0 benefits who ? Milan can`t try and defend only. Barca will be shooting from everywhere at home.

 

[drekkard]

Barcelona have launched a complaint to UEFA over the state of the pitch at the San Siro following their goalless UEFA Champions League encounter

Actually, Barcelona has raised a claim to UEFA because both clubs had agreed (with a UEFA representative with them) to water the pitch and try to improve it the day before. And Milan reassured they would water the pitch the day of the match. And while warming up Barcelona asked again Milan to water the pitch, which would allow a little better movement of the ball.

Milan decided to ignore what they had agreed on, no matter the excuses they put now. So, now it's Barcelona to blame?

I'm quite fed up of clubs doing nothing to improve the pitch or simply ignore everything they can do to destroy Barcelona passing. The pitches we find when we go away in La Liga are shockingly bad, with grasses dry as hell and not cut in a week.

It's not because of the weather, we can understand that! But the clubs do everything they can (actually do nothing) to have the pitch in a worse condition.

Milan gave word they would do several things and they didn't. That's why Barcelona complains. And it has all the right to do so as UEFA rules say. I can't understand how people turn this into a negative thing towards Barcelona. Really, I can't.

 

[Milanista]

Unfortunately the pitch at San Siro has been like this for a while and loads of bureaucratic reasons stand in the way. Right after the game Galliani said on Sky Sports that he's doing whatever he can to get Inter and the council on board so they can lay an artificial turf and then an organic grass turf on top. Apparently this will mean we won't have to keep relaying it.

Even with this new pitch, it's tough as we have two teams and a match almost every 3 days on it.

 

[Zeem]

You do realize that two teams play on the pitch right and that Milan are actually also a possession team? At one point, Bonera slipped in a very dangerous area and Barcelona were so close to scoring from that chance. Would Barcelona have filed a complain if that was scored? It is actually sad that you blame the pitch on ruining your passing game.

The San Siro pitch has been terrible since the snow storm and was actually worse in the Arsenal game. You guys and Real Madrid complain a lot for teams of your stature.

 

[BobbyBox]

Its a tough one on the pitch, when we played on it it was absolutely shocking, but as you say two teams play on it all of the time.

But the two teams are two of the biggest teams in the world and should have invested in a better pitch along time ago.

But I also agree that Milan also has to play on the pitch, but they also play on it all of the time and are used to the pitch....whereas other teams are not.

It's difficult and I understand, but overall I will say it again, two teams of the calibre of Milan and Inter should have sorted this pitch out along time ago, its embarrassing.

 

[beachryan]

Didn't you guys know that football is only really considered football if played on immaculate, watered, carpet like pitches enabling teams to keep the ball on the ground?

Anything else just isn't civilised.

 

[daikirai]

Petty complaint, that's all it is. We didn't score, blame something.
lol beachryan, perfect!